# Real or fake



## jc389 (Jun 24, 2017)

What are you guys thoughts on these?
I dont know this guy but I am saying these are fake.... but at the same time I know ZERO about what I am talking about. But I am trying to learn.

My thoughts are.
The bands look too loose
the cap on the right looks decent, but the one on the left doesn't look too good and symmetrical.
The left cigar doesn't look proportional in its roll
the color differences are pretty dramatic.

AGAIN.... I know NOTHING when it comes to real cubans so I am trying to learn. Thanks for the education.


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## Gummy Jones (Mar 30, 2017)

from the cap down the L cigar doesnt look right

but hard to tell much on the band from one pic and that angle

also im no expert


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## Wheels Up (Jun 13, 2019)

I can't tell you anything about the construction of the cigar, but the bands look mostly good from what little I can tell from this picture. Hard to tell everything from that angle.

Looks like holographs are in the top and bottom gold strip. There are nine white vertical squares in the black portion. None appear cutoff or round.

Hard to tell if the COHIBA rectangle and lettering is raised, but it should be. There should also be a smaller Indian head inside the main head like what's visible in the picture below.









Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro


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## poppajon75 (Apr 10, 2016)

All of the Habanos I've personally seen have a triple cap. The one on the left appears to be only a double from that angle and inspecting from a picture. I'm no expert. Much more of a student to those here much more experienced than I here. I've heard that it's not uncommon for imposters to have the correct, legitimate band from an authentic Habano to be placed on the forgeries. Construction looks a bit questionable to me also, but I'm ignorant to the prior care and storage of those two cigars. 

Sent from the lost and found looking for my mind.


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## GunnyJ (Jun 22, 2018)

See How To Spot A Fake Cohiba and 10 Quick Ways To Spot A Fake Cuban Cigar both from Cigar Aficionado. According to their guidance (and from what I can tell from the photo) the bands appear to pass the test. But then there's the guideline of


> Straight-sided Cuban cigars (i.e. parejos) are finished with mounted heads, also known as three-seam caps. Rounded or sloppy heads are a quick way to spot a cigar rolled elsewhere.


 and the left one looked iffy in this department.

BUT...there's the ultimate guideline: Buyer beware - if you don't know the seller then you can be pretty certain he doesn't have your best interests in mind.

To go along with the construction point by Wheels Up, another point made is


> A proper box of real Cubans will have a certain amount of symmetry. The cigars will be the same size (or very, very close), the colors will be similar cigar to cigar and the bands will be aligned from one cigar to the next.


 and those two don't based on the photo.


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## GunnyJ (Jun 22, 2018)

Here's a pic of some of my Cubans (disregard the swanky backdrop  )...only have one Cohiba though.


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## s1n3 n0m1n3 (Jun 20, 2019)

I deal a lot with having to decipher between real or replica in my other hobby of collecting watches. Everyone in that hobby will tell you the same thing....

“Buy the seller; not the watch”

I believe that axiom translates to just about anything, but fits particularly well in any situation where the item in question blurs the lines of legality in the first place.

Just for science’s sake....lop off the bottom half of each then split open the bottom halves and carefully pull them apart trying not to shred the tobacco. Bits and pieces is a sure sign of cheap filler. Pieces that run the length of the split are a sign of long filler. Then smoke the last half of both. Then report your findings back here.

Or not.


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## Scap (Nov 27, 2012)

Maybe someone got creative and slid the Cohiba bands on a cigar that isn't...

We did that to a buddy of mine that hates Cohiba... It really wrecked him to see that band on a cigar that wasn't supposed to have a Cohiba band. Lol


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## TonyBrooklyn (Jan 28, 2010)

s1n3 n0m1n3 said:


> I deal a lot with having to decipher between real or replica in my other hobby of collecting watches. Everyone in that hobby will tell you the same thing....
> 
> "Buy the seller; not the watch"
> 
> .


That's right provenance is everything as Mr. Pegler would say. :vs_cool:


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## Bird-Dog (Oct 16, 2009)

Scap said:


> Maybe someone got creative and slid the Cohiba bands on a cigar that isn't...
> 
> We did that to a buddy of mine that hates Cohiba... It really wrecked him to see that band on a cigar that wasn't supposed to have a Cohiba band. Lol


Ah, another adherent to Smokin'G's "The Placebo Effect"?


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## Rondo (Sep 9, 2015)

Stop wasting time and bandwidth. 
Fire one up. If it’s delicious, good on you. 
If not, dissect it and show us the pubes and toenails that were inside.


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## jmt8706 (Jul 19, 2019)

Rondo said:


> Stop wasting time and bandwidth.
> Fire one up. If it's delicious, good on you.
> If not, dissect it and show us the pubes and toenails that were inside.


Well, I was thinking about what to have for lunch...not so much now. :serious:


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## Scap (Nov 27, 2012)

Rondo said:


> Stop wasting time and bandwidth.
> Fire one up. If it's delicious, good on you.
> If not, dissect it and show us the pubes and toenails that were inside.


I am not in the medical field for a reason....so please don't share any biohazards you find in that stick. :vs_laugh:


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## UBC03 (Nov 18, 2015)

Scap said:


> I am not in the medical field for a reason....so please don't share any biohazards you find in that stick. :vs_laugh:


If you do share the biohazards @Rondo has the bags to put em in..

Sent from ... hey Jon, where's my damn sandwich


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## Olecharlie (Oct 28, 2017)

The only two Cohiba Behike that I have had were fakes. (Both were gifted) They both had long fillers, I tossed them anyway, just not comfortable smoking cigars that I have no idea what’s in it. If you read the article posted early in the thread of how to spot a fake you will know pretty quickly.


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## bpegler (Mar 30, 2006)

Unfortunately, those are fakes.

Here's a picture of a real one for you:










For reference, a genuine box of 10 Behike 56s from a reputable vendor will cost about $1135.00. Any singles under $120+ each aren't genuine.


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## Olecharlie (Oct 28, 2017)

bpegler said:


> Unfortunately, those are fakes.
> 
> Here's a picture of a real one for you:
> 
> ...


I did find a single for $100 from a reputable source but just couldn't seem to justify spending that much for one cigar. I would be happy to trade $ for $ in cigars for one just to see for myself if there's that much difference between it and a regular Cohiba. Or maybe one day I'll break down and purchase one.


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## Scap (Nov 27, 2012)

Olecharlie said:


> I did find a single for $100 from a reputable source but just couldn't seem to justify spending that much for one cigar. I would be happy to trade $ for $ in cigars for one just to see for myself if there's that much difference between it and a regular Cohiba. Or maybe one day I'll break down and purchase one.


My opinion, but I didn't feel like it was worth it.
Good buddy of mine gifted me one from his box one birthday, and I wasn't aware of the price at the time. We smoked them at the same time, and he was just gushing about how amazing it was and that he'd never had a better cigar. I was just feeling "meh it's ok"...

Moral to the story, had I known it was a $100+ cigar, I think my SmokingG "psycho" powers of persuasion would have made it taste better to justify the price.

Not understanding what it was, I didn't smoke the band or the price tag, and had an honest critique of the product.

As always, YMMV. 
Smoke what you like and like what you smoke.


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## bpegler (Mar 30, 2006)

Olecharlie said:


> I did find a single for $100 from a reputable source but just couldn't seem to justify spending that much for one cigar. I would be happy to trade $ for $ in cigars for one just to see for myself if there's that much difference between it and a regular Cohiba. Or maybe one day I'll break down and purchase one.


A single BHK 56 for less than $100 would be amazing, I'm not aware of any reputable vendors with prices that low. Especially for a single. A few years ago, they were much cheaper.

As for value, the OR Behikes from 2010 were spectacular. 2011 were very good. After that, they were not worth the coin in my experience.

The best flavor from a Cohiba would be from an Esplendido, Robusto, or Lancero with at least 7 years of age, imho. Get a box and put them down for a long sleep.


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## mvorbrodt (Jan 13, 2010)

bpegler said:


> A single BHK 56 for less than $100 would be amazing, I'm not aware of any reputable vendors with prices that low. Especially for a single. A few years ago, they were much cheaper.
> 
> As for value, the OR Behikes from 2010 were spectacular. 2011 were very good. After that, they were not worth the coin in my experience.
> 
> The best flavor from a Cohiba would be from an Esplendido, Robusto, or Lancero with at least 7 years of age, imho. Get a box and put them down for a long sleep.


What happened to the Behikes after 2011? I was going to order a box, but what you say concerns me... I got them right when they came out and they were THE BEST I ever had. not the case anymore?


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## Adam (Jun 17, 2010)

Coming back to the site after a few year break and I see this. I bought three original release 52’s from a pretty trustworthy member here for my wedding in ‘12. Have one of them left. Should I try to pay my mortgage payment with it? Ha!


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## bpegler (Mar 30, 2006)

mvorbrodt said:


> What happened to the Behikes after 2011? I was going to order a box, but what you say concerns me... I got them right when they came out and they were THE BEST I ever had. not the case anymore?


Unfortunately, not the case anymore. A lesser cigar for a lot more money. Prices since I last saw your presence here has jumped considerably on Cohibas in general.


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